Man Assaulted His Wife With a Mug and Threatened Missoula Police

At around 5:20pm on Friday, Missoula City Police Officers were dispatched to the Citi Lodge motel for a reported domestic assault. Officers arrived and made contact with the female victim. She informed them that her husband, 32-year-old James Hayes, had already left. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.

“Hayes was located and taken into custody in the area around the incident,” Arnold said. “During the preliminary investigation with the victim, officers observed injuries consistent with a disturbance and an object that could have been used. At one point during the disturbance, the victim attempted to contact 911 for help, but Hayes had disconnected the call. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the incident. When officers made contact with Hayes, he displayed behaviors and indicators of being intoxicated. Hayes was verbally combative with officers during the arrest and he was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center.”

The victim said she was sitting on the room’s bed when Hayes sat on her chest and put his right hand on her chest and lower throat. Hayes then began using a mug to hit her in the head, left shoulder, and left arm. The victim said she had a headache and neck pain stemming from the assault.

While Hayes was being transported to jail, he continued to threaten the officer and family members. Hayes then began kicking the patrol vehicle’s interior windows.

Court documents indicate on November 20, 2020, Hayes pled guilty to a 1st and 2nd Partner Family Member Assault, both against the same victim in this most recent incident. Hayes is still serving that matter’s sentence.

Hayes is currently being charged with felony partner or family member assault third offense and tampering with a communication device.